Hong Martial Arts Instructors

Jacob Hong - 5th Dan

Jacob Hong started his training in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Kickboxing in 1976 at the age of five. He currently holds a 5th Degree Black Belt in Karate and Tae Kwon Do. Jacob started his training in Belvidere, Illinois under the instruction of his father, Grand Master Young Hong. He became a certified instructor for Young Hong Karate at the age of 15 and has taught in both Belvidere, Woodstock and Chicago, IL. Jacob has taught hundreds of children and adults over the past 17 years and still very much enjoys working out himself even after 28 years of training. Hong's satisfaction comes from seeing the benefits the Martial Arts has on his students, and his outstanding commitment of teaching the Martial Arts remains a priority.

Justen Hong - 5th Dan

Justen Hong began training in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Kickboxing in 1977 at the age of four. He currently holds a 5th degree black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do. Justen began teaching children's classes at the age of 15, and became head instructor of the Belvidere branch of Young Hong Karate Institute at the age of 19. He has taught hundreds of children and adults, and loves to see the physical and overall improvements people make through training.

Justen continues his martial arts education by studying Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Brazilian Mike Rethmeyer.

Grand Master Young Hong

Young Hong started his martial arts training in 1957 at a school in Seoul, South Korea. In 1961, He became a martial arts instructor for the 26th Division of the Korean ROK Army where he taught hand-to-hand combat. Hong continued his martial arts teaching in Bremenhafen, Germany at the U.S. Navy Center. He then made his way to the United States in 1966 where he started teaching Karate at the Korean Karate Institute of Chicago. During his time in Chicago, Hong taught Martial Arts to Chicago's new police recruits. In 1969, He founded the Young Hong Karate Institute in Belvidere and Woodstock, Illinois. To date, Hong's teachings have reached over 5,000 students.